The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes in its Occupational Outlook Handbook for Veterinarians that the job outlook will be best for large animal veterinarians. The higher pay and easier work of caring for companion animals draw the limited number of veterinary candidates (around 2,500 per year), which means fewer veterinarians who specialize in equines and bovines. Overall, the job outlook for veterinarians is expected to grow 36 percent between 2010 and 2020.

Knowledge of Diseases

Large animal vets should be familiar with diseases commonly affecting farm animals. In an April 2009 "Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel" article titled “Country Faces Shortage of Large-Animal Veterinarians,” writer Joe Taschler mentions worries over large animal vet shortages and specifically the ability to spot diseases in the country’s food supply. A large animal vet needs to be able to recognize both issues that occur naturally and issues that could be a result of bio-terrorism or agro-terrorism.

Body Strength

While you don’t have to be a body builder, a large animal vet may be called upon to help a cow give birth or get a 1,000-pound horse to his feet. It is vital that a large animal vet be strong and fit to achieve these feats. If you have a small stature, don’t let that discourage you. When you visit farms, the owner will often help with tasks requiring a lot of effort. Work at strengthening your body as much as possible and seek ways to compensate for any limitations in your physical strength.

Ability to Adapt

Large animal veterinarians must be able to adapt to changing weather conditions and strange hours. While some work is preventative, such as vaccinations, emergencies don’t occur on a set schedule. A large animal vet may be called out any hour of the day or night. The weather can be blazing hot or freezing cold and everything in between. Unlike their small companion animal counterparts, veterinarians who specialize in large animals usually go to where the animals live and not the other way around.

Understanding of Technology

A large animal vet needs to understand how to use X-rays, ultrasounds and lab tests to diagnose animal illnesses and decide on the best course of treatment. In addition to understanding the technology and what results mean for the animal, a vet who specializes in farm animals needs to know the best way to get an X-ray on a given body part of a large animal that may or may not want to cooperate.

About the Author

Lori Soard has been a writer since 1995, covering a variety of topics for local newspapers and magazines such as "Woman's World." For five years, she served as a site editor for a large online information portal. Soard is also the author of several published books, both fiction and nonfiction.